http://www.thepunch.com.au/author-bios/richard-fleming/ Rich Fleming has a background in Global Poverty where he has done everything from leading national advocacy campaigns to running a school in the slums of Dhaka, Bangladesh. These days Richard is just another white Australian male ranting on topical social minority and injustice issues like Global Poverty, Indigenous Australia or Women’s Rights… the only difference that he has to the many other white Australian males ranting in the media is that he comes with a happy and progressive perspective. en Copyright 2013 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:00:10 +0000 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:00:10 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/advance-australia-fair-anangula-a-tjutala/ Yesterday I was reminded of one of the most amazing and moving moments I have ever experienced. It was in 2006 and I was listening to the national anthems being sung at the Lone Pine memorial service on Anzac day. Surprisingly, what moved me was not the roar of over 10,000 Australians singing our own national anthem, but hearing the thousands of Kiwi pilgrims belting out theirs. I wasn’t moved at the thought of God defending our mates over the ditch (as the anthem goes), rather it was the first ever time I had heard New Zealanders sing the first Maori verse of their anthem, and it was sung with such gusto and pride. I was astonished not only that they had been taught the Maori words, but that they were proud enough to sing it so loudly and passionately.  I was jealous of their historic and cultural pride that day. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Richard Fleming) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/advance-australia-fair-anangula-a-tjutala/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/advance-australia-fair-anangula-a-tjutala/#item6243 Thu, 07 Jul 2011 19:45:01 +0000 Richard Fleming | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/theres-a-serious-gap-that-needs-closing/ Australia’s reconciliation situation is worse than that of post-apartheid South Africa. As we celebrate National Close the Gap day, it is time we focus on the real gap that needs to be closed - the gap in trust between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. For this is one gap that we can all take responsibility for closing once and for all. When we hear the Close the Gap catch cry we immediately think of the shocking news headline statistics: An Aboriginal man is expected to live 11.5 years less than the Australian average. An Aboriginal baby is twice as likely to die before their first birthday. An Aboriginal girl is 32 per cent less likely to finish her high school education. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Richard Fleming) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/theres-a-serious-gap-that-needs-closing/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/theres-a-serious-gap-that-needs-closing/#item5453 Wed, 23 Mar 2011 19:55:50 +0000 Richard Fleming | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Getting-more-bang-for-our-foreign-aid-buck/ Although I am closely involved in the aid and development sector, I was pleased to read Monday’s News Limited critical pieces by Steve Lewis in the Daily Telegraph and the Adelaide Advertiser. Negative publicity is never good for any sector. However, the recent pieces in Australia’s newspapers are a positive sign of the fact that Australians are engaging with the global movement to take action on extreme poverty.   In my role as a development educator, I have been witnessing this change in our societal perspective on a daily basis. Australians are no longer simply asking how many aid dollars are being allocated to help the billions of people living in extreme poverty: we are now questioning the effectiveness of this spending. We are finally applying the age-old adage of ‘quality over quantity’ where it matters most, in the lives of the world’s poorest. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Richard Fleming) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Getting-more-bang-for-our-foreign-aid-buck/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Getting-more-bang-for-our-foreign-aid-buck/#item3177 Thu, 27 May 2010 19:40:38 +0000 Richard Fleming | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/melbournes-soul-is-in-danger-of-disappearing/ After twelve months of racial intolerance and a clamp-down on live music, is Melbourne about to lose what’s left of its cultural and community flavour? As Melburnians, we tend to differentiate ourselves as more community and culturally-minded and less greedy than other Australians.  So how is it that one of our leading community venues is looking to bring an end to one of Melbourne’s most successful experiments in community dining? That’s right, the Abbotsford Convent has refused to renew the lease on Lentil As Anything , the innovative not-for-profit restaurant that has been the heart and soul of the convent for the last five years. Is Melbourne letting go of its once famous community culture for profits? feedback@thepunch.com.au (Richard Fleming) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/melbournes-soul-is-in-danger-of-disappearing/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/melbournes-soul-is-in-danger-of-disappearing/#item2754 Thu, 01 Apr 2010 01:30:22 +0000 Richard Fleming | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/former-army-chief-says-make-love-not-war/ Throughout history millions have urged us to ‘make love, not war’ and an important voice has just joined this choir. On Tuesday, Australia’s former Army Chief, Peter Leahy, suggested that the defence budget should be cut and redirected towards its diplomacy and aid programs – and no, he wasn’t wearing flares or dreads. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Richard Fleming) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/former-army-chief-says-make-love-not-war/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/former-army-chief-says-make-love-not-war/#item2602 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 04:00:20 +0000 Richard Fleming | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/why-there-is-no-international-mans-day/ With today being International Women’s Day, there will be millions of men around the world thinking – “This is so sexist! Where is my International Man’s Day?” Heck, I used to be one of those people. I used to think that all the affirmative discrimination was sexist, backward and downright wrong. For my male friends nodding your head in agreement, I challenge you to read on, and to watch the above clip. It has only been in recent years that my stubborn mindset has changed. I happily admit that I am no expert on this issue, but you don’t need to be an expert to realise that things need to change. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Richard Fleming) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/why-there-is-no-international-mans-day/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/why-there-is-no-international-mans-day/#item2557 Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:55:20 +0000 Richard Fleming | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/haiti-was-so-last-month/ A month on from the devastating earthquake that killed 230,000 Haitians, we are once again witnessing the ongoing and intrinsic apathy in this country. Don’t get me wrong, I am by no means saying that as a nation we didn’t care, that we didn’t dig deep, band together and support the rescue efforts in Haiti, we most certainly did, like we always do – but is that enough? Four weeks ago the devastation was front-page news, with stories infiltrating every digital sphere. Now, that’s simply not the case. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Richard Fleming) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/haiti-was-so-last-month/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/haiti-was-so-last-month/#item2405 Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:42:35 +0000 Richard Fleming | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-high-death-toll-in-Haiti-is-due-to-poverty-not-nature/ The Prime Minister of Haiti has estimated the death toll of this week’s earthquake to be over 100,000. Reports yesterday suggest the death-toll could soon rival that of the Boxing Day Tsunami. It is my firm belief that we could have done more to minimise the magnitude of loss as a result of the earthquake. Neither you nor I have the ability to play God and predict a quake or even lessen its power but what we do have is the ability to alter the death toll from such a horrific disaster. Over 78% of Haitian residents live in poverty, which is defined by the World Bank as living on US$2 per day, and it is these conditions that are responsible for the saddening predictions from the Haitian Prime Minister. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Richard Fleming) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-high-death-toll-in-Haiti-is-due-to-poverty-not-nature/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-high-death-toll-in-Haiti-is-due-to-poverty-not-nature/#item2159 Thu, 14 Jan 2010 19:50:04 +0000 Richard Fleming | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/you-dont-have-to-be-brain-surgeon-to-rejuvenate-a-life/ It is always heartening when Australia bands together around an issue with such cohesion and gusto as we have seen over the past fortnight with the separation of the conjoined twins, Krishna and Trishna. I feel I should, out of journalistic integrity, (not that I’m a journalist) mention that I have had some dealing with the twins. In 2007 and 2008 I would spend my weekends volunteering at their orphanage in Bangladesh and was struck at the time by the girls’ strength and resilience. Andrew Bolt’s piece in Friday’s Herald Sun focused on the debate (largely in our oh-so-balanced talk back arena) about whether or not the Australian Government should have foot the bill for the operation to separate the twins. Whilst I wholeheartedly support Danielle, Moira Kelly, Atom Rahman and the wonderful team who have supported the girls, I must - and believe me I never thought I’d utter these words - agree with Andrew Bolt in saying that the Australian Government and associated departments made the right decision in not paying for the procedure. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Richard Fleming) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/you-dont-have-to-be-brain-surgeon-to-rejuvenate-a-life/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/you-dont-have-to-be-brain-surgeon-to-rejuvenate-a-life/#item1805 Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:50:42 +0000 Richard Fleming | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/do-you-give-a-crap-about-world-toilet-day/ The propensity for us ascribe days to inanimate objects seems endless. Some of the more obscure that we’ve encountered recently include ‘Picnic Day’, ‘World TV Day’ (which coincidentally shares a day with ‘World Hello Day’, one promoting socialising and one well…not), ‘Lefthanders Day’ and everybody’s favourite, ‘International Talk Like a Pirate Day’. So it would not be out of the question to, upon hearing the words ‘World Toilet Day’, shake your head, perhaps laugh, and turn the page, or click the link for Laser Hair Solutions in the right side panel (because this site appreciates the plight of the left hander when designing web content). All jokes aside, World Toilet Day is an internationally recognised and significant promoting a critical issue for 1.4 billion people living in extreme poverty. It is the lack of safe toilets. We know the solution and we have the technology to simply, effectively and practically make a difference, all we need is the will. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Richard Fleming) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/do-you-give-a-crap-about-world-toilet-day/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/do-you-give-a-crap-about-world-toilet-day/#item1774 Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:53:55 +0000 Richard Fleming | Author bios | The Punch